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We learned recently that Guy McPherson, with whom DGR has collaborated in the past, has been accused by multiple women of sexually predatory behavior. We have seen screenshots of comments where he calls women vile names (e.g., he calls one woman a “cum-gargling whore”). These accusations have been corroborated from several sources.

At the time we collaborated with Guy McPherson, we had no idea that he was treating women so poorly. Deep Green Resistance has an absolute zero-tolerance policy for abuse and will stand against any predators being allowed access to the movement or anyone who could be harmed. Our hearts go out to his victims.

The cops have us figured out. Protests, soft blockades,
tripods, lockboxes. Sure, all these tactics can be effective in certain
situations. But when we consider the scale of the problem, they are lacking. These
tactics do not generally lead to decisive outcomes. They can shape conditions
and help lead to victory, but alone they are almost never sufficient.

We have trouble shutting stuff down permanently.

Decisive actions, on the other hand, can directly achieve
our goal. Our goal is to stop the global industrial economy that is killing the
planet. As such, a prime consideration is attrition—on our side. When people
are arrested with every action, our losses—time, money, energy—add up quickly.
People get burned out.

Let’s not get arrested on purpose. Instead, let’s consider
applying guerilla tactics to the battle for the planet. These tactics can be
adapted for non-violence, or carried out in a decisive ecological warfare
style. Hit and run blockades allow us to inflict maximum economic and moral
damage without taking losses.

It has been popular for many years for non-violent activists
to “hit and sit”—waiting for the police to come arrest them. This approach can
lend a certain moral weight in the courtroom, and there’s a time and a place
where it’s probably the most effective method.

However, hit and sit tactics will always be limited by
resources. If you only have a few people willing to be arrested, your actions
can only take place on a small scale. Consider, instead, what you could
accomplish with the same small group of people acting clandestinely.

To be effective, this strategy would require cooperation
with existing aboveground movements. For example, hit and run tactics will be
most effective where people can advocate for, justify, and explain the actions
within a greater narrative of resistance to coal, oil, gas, and the broader
industrial ecocide of the planet. To mitigate media demonization and police
crackdowns, the story of this resistance has to be as powerful as the actions
themselves.

Imagine, instead of a couple dozen direct actions a year,
soft blockades that are easily broken up and leave people broke and in prison,
hundreds or thousands of blockades taking place all around the country, and the
world. Small teams striking like ghosts, interdicting commerce, halting
logging, dams, fracking, coal trains, and more, then disappearing only to
strike again the next day, and the next, and the next.

Suddenly, attrition is on our side.

Even if these tactics were broadly adopted, they
wouldn’t be enough to save the planet. Ultimately, we call for decisive ecological warfare. However, in the near-term, such escalation in non-violent
resistance would push our movements in a better direction: more strategic, more
creative, more serious, more security-aware, more clandestine, more decisive.

Our Underground Action Calendar lists attacks from as far back as the 1970s, to inspire and serve as a research tool. We include a variety of actions from around the world, some carried out by individuals, some by organized militant groups. Targets range from local earth-destroying construction equipment to networks of oil wells and pipelines. Browsing the list gives a good idea of what can be accomplished with simple acts of monkeywrenching or with persistent campaigns against industrial infrastructure.

We’ve just refreshed the Calendar to make it even more inspirational to browse, and more useful as a research tool. We’ve cleaned out symbolic attacks and those based on a strategy of economic attrition, to focus instead on actions directly and concretely reducing the ability of the rich and powerful to destroy the earth. The descriptions of each attack are short and to the point so that you can quickly look through the list; each action links to a communique or news article with more information on the action if you want to research further.

You can filter by the attack target: for example, if you’re curious how railroad traffic has been disrupted in the past, select “Railway.” Or you can filter by the attack method: if you’re curious what kinds of infrastructure have been attacked with anything from air rifles to rocket launchers, select “Shooting.”

You can also filter by Country, sort by date, or search actions for keywords.

NOTE: We only accept communications about actions that are already publicly known in one form or another. Do not send original communiques directly to this email address. This is not a secure means of communication.

Earth At Risk, sponsored by Fertile Ground Institute in November 2014, featured many of today’s most important activists and thinkers in environmentalism, anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, anti-colonialism, radical feminism, and anti-racism. With keynote speakers Derrick Jensen, Alice Walker, Vandana Shiva, Chris Hedges, and Thomas Linzey; plus multiple panels, the event was full of insightful and inspiring discussions.

Will Falk wrote a report-back on the event: Earth At Risk 2014: The Proper Diagnosis. Until now his writeup was the only way to experience the event vicariously for those of us who missed it, but Fertile Ground just made all 12 hours of the presentations available.

View the videos below, or visit our member appearances page and enter “earth at risk” into the filter box to browse only the presentations involving DGR members. You can also download audio files of those panels and keynotes.

The organization DGR is founded on the ideas and analysis laid out in the book by Derrick Jensen, Lierre Keith, and Aric McBay. To increase the book’s accessibility, especially to international audiences, we’re now making it available for free in two ways:

Download an epub or PDF through the DGR Store. (We suggest a $5 donation, but you can set it to whatever you like, including $0.)

Please share these links widely. Deep Green Resistance is unique amongst environmental texts in its realistic assessment of our crises and possible solutions. Now more than ever, we need people to resist effectively. Let’s get this out there!

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It’s officially recognized by the UN to raise awareness of the crimes perpetrated against women, including rape and domestic violence.

Today also begins 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, preceding December 10’s International Human Rights Day.

That means from now until then, you have sixteen days packed full of choices. When I got started, I was entirely lost. So I made a list of 16 things you can do over the next 16 days that could go a short way towards eliminating crimes perpetrated against women, or a long way towards changing you.

You can read a book about the harms of pornography. I recommend you get started with Pornland by Gail Dines or Big Porn Inc by Melinda T Reist and Abigail Bray.

You can check out the ENTIRETY of Andrea Dworkin’s essays online for FREE. I recommend starting with Pornography: Men Possessing Women.

You can abstain from pornography. I suggest you do it for forever. Trust me – it’ll change the way you look at everything.

You can dive in and absorb some amazing feminist articles online. I suggest Feminist Current for the honest and brilliant articles.

You can volunteer with or donate to a local shelter that promotes women’s safety.

You can interrupt any sexist or misogynistic language being used in your vicinity. I know how super hard that can be, but trust me when I say that true strength lies in those who challenge those in power. Only misogynists punch downwards (which is what you’re doing when you make rape jokes or sexualize women).

You can be critical of the media you consume. Don’t know how to start? Stop watching and start listening when women tell you something is offensive (i.e. Game of Thrones and unnecessary nudity – it’s okay to be critical of the things you love, people).

You can listen to a podcast. Again, have to recommend the dense selection at Feminist Current.

You can seek out organizations that are feminist, pro-feminist, pro-women and get to know more about their cause.

You can open up communication with a woman you know who’s been harmed by domestic or sexualized violence. I heartily recommend you start by telling them something along the lines of, “I haven’t truly considered the experiences of other people. I want you to know that any time you need an ear, I would be happy to listen. And no, I will not offer you unsolicited advice or offer solutions or pretend I’m an expert at what you’ve gone through.”

You can stop using sexist or misogynistic language. This includes using words like “pussy,” “bitch,” “whore,” “ho,” “son of a bitch,” “cunt,” and phrases like “… like a girl,” “be a man,” “… is a man’s job.”

You can stop laughing at jokes that generalize and thus reinforce what it means “to be a woman”, such as the way women talk, dress, behave, and so onj

You can defend women. Start simple, like with sharing an article on your personal timeline on the condition that you will be active in the comments section that follows. Small potatoes, share an article that’s pro-women. Medium potatoes, share an article that’s anti-porn. Large potatoes, share an article that establishes your position as an anti-porn / pro-women advocate and watch how quickly some men will hiss at you and how others in real life will begin to avoid you like you’re insane (lol you’ll get used to it).

You can admit that you don’t actually know much about violence against women, but that you are open to learning more and could use a few suggestions to teach yourself (important: nobody can change you except yourself. The best you can do is be open and allow yourself a huge amount of space to accept how very, very little you know and how very, very disorienting everything becomes once that light bulb has gone off over your head).